TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Youth Development Administration is launching a summer initiative to boost youth participation in community service through project-based volunteering.

The initiative encourages high school and college students, civil society groups, and educational institutions to establish volunteer teams that tackle pressing social issues. Selected teams can receive up to NT$80,000 (US$2,460) to fund their projects, per Ministry of Education.

Applications are open through Aug. 15, and projects must be carried out between June 1 and Sept. 30. Teams must include 10 or more members aged 15 to 35 and complete at least 18 hours of volunteer work.

Eligible groups are not limited to service-related clubs. Student organizations registered with schools, civil groups, and institutions can apply.

The administration highlighted a medical education team from Taipei Medical University as a standout example. The team collaborates with local health and education departments to organize medical education camps for students, to equip young people with accurate health knowledge, and foster interest in healthcare careers.

By the end of 2023, Taiwan had 1,114,604 registered volunteers, about 4.76% of the population, across 21,441 service teams. Of these volunteers, 70.4% were women and 29.6% were men, according to government data.

The Volunteer Service Act, enacted in 2001, laid the foundation for Taiwan’s growing culture of volunteerism. Central government agencies overseeing sectors such as social welfare, culture, education, environmental protection, public health, healthcare, finance and taxation, economic affairs, agriculture, sports, science, national defense, firefighting, and police services reported robust volunteer participation.

The administration hopes the initiative will inspire more youth to contribute to their communities while building valuable skills and civic awareness. For more details on the program, please visit the Youth Development Administration’s volunteer website.